Microsoft Isn't Interested In The Handheld Gaming Market

Apparently Microsoft doesn't think now is the right time to release a handheld console dedicated to games, and that Nintendo may be making a mistake by doing so.

In an exclusive interview with Industry Gamers, the CFO for Microsoft's Interactive Entertainment Business Dennis Durkin doubted whether Nintendo's recent release 3DS could be successful.

"I’m not sure I would want to be launching a dedicated portable device right now into that market. if you look at the 3DS, certainly versus people’s expectation's it’s not been as successful as people would have thought,” Durkin said in the interview.

Durkin called the market of portable consoles extremely crowded with rapid changes that can be difficult to keep up with. He said that Microsoft is not currently willing to put its money and attention in this sector and would instead leave it for Sony and Nintendo to fight over.

He made it clear that Microsoft is deeply concerned with developing its current service Xbox Live and the motion sensing technology Kinect instead of competing with other manufacturers by developing a dedicated hand held device for gaming.

Recently, Microsoft also demonstrated the use of its Kinect technology for medical purposes in hospitals, implying that the technology behind the device could have much broader applications.